Lynne Mowbray |

June Mascord and her husband Paul (dec) moved from Sydney to Yamba to retire in 1988, but since then, she hasn’t stopped.

For many years June and Paul took on the role of catering for the Yamba RSL Club.

As June was a keen artist, she offered to paint the mural on the halls stage depicting the First and Second World Wars, which included action from all the services; air, land and sea. It also included scenes from the Vietnam War.

The couple were also volunteers with the Wooloweyah Rural Fire Service with June helping out with the catering. Just prior to his passing in 2016, June said that her husband was presented with his 25 year service award.

During that time, June painted several portraits of the fire captains for the local and town brigades, which remain on display at the stations.

June said that over the years, both Paul and she were involved in Probus and she also helped out with the Maclean Hospital Auxiliary, assisting them with their fundraising.

“In later years I was involved in working alongside former Yamba resident Jim Agnew, gathering signatures and lobbying towards gaining an Ambulance service for Yamba,” June said.

“More recently I was involved with the Yamba Lions Club, but unfortunately it was taking its toll on my stamina,” she said.

Despite surviving brain cancer and a mastectomy last year, June continues contributing to the community she loves.

June said that as she had been painting all of her life, she recently decided to put her volunteering efforts into teaching art at the Caroona retirement complex.

“This has been very rewarding for me and the residents; some of whom who have discovered so late in life that they can paint,” she said.

Apart from her art classes June is also knitting for the homeless at the moment, through the Catholic Church.

June Mascord celebrated her 90th birthday on Wednesday August 29 and to mark this special birthday, she wished to thank the community in which she has lived during the last 30 years.

“On behalf of my late husband and myself I would like to say thank you Yamba and Wooloweyah for all the wonderful memories; we enjoyed supporting you,” she said.